Toowoomba Mountaineers women’s side continues push towards QSL finals

With just over a month left in the women’s QSL season, the Toowoomba Mountaineers are in prime position for a finals tilt after another solid weekend.

Kirby Harley for Toowoomba Mountaineers. Picture: Kevin Farmer

As we approach the final month of the women’s QSL season, the Toowoomba Mountaineers are in prime position to earn a second straight finals berth after a thrilling weekend.

The Mountaineers took on the Gold Coast Rollers and Northside Wizards in a double-header on Saturday and Sunday with both games going down to the wire.

After an action packed weekend, we reveal the biggest talking points from the contests.

Nothing separating Rollers and Neers

Clive Berghofer Arena was the place to be on Saturday night as the Mountaineers and Rollers could not be separated after 40 minutes of action.

Amazingly, there were 25 lead changes throughout the contest with scores tied at half and three quarter time and the end of regulation.

Eventually, the Mountaineers managed to break free as they outscored the Rollers 10-4 in the first overtime period to claim a crucial win.

Second half collapse ends win streak

After a difficult start to the year where Toowoomba won just one of its first four games, the Mountaineers have turned their season around in the last few weeks and went into their clash with Northside on a four-game winning streak.

Toowoomba looked set to extend its streak when it led by 20 points late in the second quarter.

However, the Wizards cast a spell on the Mountaineers and turned the tides of the contest to slowly claw back at the deficit before taking the lead for the first and only time in the game with just over one minute left on the clock.

It was a stunning turnaround from the Wizards as they went on a 38-16 run in a span of 19 minutes to break Toowoomba hearts.

Struggles from free throw line

One of the major factors in the Mountaineers’ loss to the Wizards was the disparity in efficiency from the free throw line.

Northside shot a solid 19 free throws from 27 attempts at 70.37 per cent, while Toowoomba scored 11 from 22 attempts at just 50 per cent.

With the Mountaineers scoring more field goals at a greater percentage than the Wizards, the trips to the free throw line were ultimately what helped the hosts slowly pull off the unlikely comeback.

Outstanding defence

With star captain Mia Stower out for both games on the weekend, the Mountaineers lost one of their strongest offensive and defensive weapons in the paint.

However, on the defensive end, Toowoomba rallied together and refused to give any easy chances across the two games.

In the Saturday night clash with Gold Coast, the Rollers shot just 30 per cent from the field with 24 makes from 80 attempts.

Then on the second leg of their double-header, the Mountaineers lifted to another level and restricted the Wizards to just 19 field goals from 81 attempts at 23.46 per cent.